Leeds dealt harm blow forward of Leicester

Leeds United have been dealt a contemporary harm blow forward of their Premier League assembly with Leicester Metropolis on Thursday night.

What’s the newest?

Talking in his pre-match press convention (through the Yorkshire Publish), Jesse Marsch revealed that Pascal Struijk might be unavailable for choice for the journey to the King Energy Stadium tomorrow night, because the defender picked up a knock in coaching this week.

Nonetheless, the 48-year-old went on to recommend that, all being effectively, the Dutchman ought to be again in time for the go to of Fulham on Sunday afternoon.

Relating to the situation of the 23-year-old, the American supervisor stated: “Pascal picked up a bit of little bit of an harm and gained’t be obtainable for tomorrow however we’re hopeful that by Sunday he’ll be obtainable. We’ll see how the subsequent few days go.”

Dangerous information

Contemplating simply how spectacular Struijk has been within the Leeds backline to date this season, the truth that the centre-back won’t be match to function in opposition to the Foxes on Thursday is undoubtedly unhealthy information for Marsch and his facet.

Certainly, over his 9 Premier League fixtures in 2022/23 – all of which have come at left-back – the £13m-rated expertise has been in distinctive attacking kind, scoring one purpose, offering one help and creating two large probabilities for his teammates, along with taking a mean of 0.7 pictures – 0.4 of which have hit the goal – making 0.8 key passes and finishing 0.9 dribbles per recreation.

The £29k-per-week defender has additionally impressed in metrics extra typical of his place, serving to his facet preserve two clear sheets, in addition to making a mean of three.3 tackles – the joint eighth-most in the complete league – 1.7 interceptions, 1.6 clearances and profitable 7.3 duels – at a hit fee of 53% – per recreation.

These returns have seen the participant who Marsch himself claimed is presently taking part in at a “excessive stage” common an especially spectacular SofaScore match ranking of 6.91, rating him because the Whites’ sixth-best performer within the prime flight – a fairly extraordinary feat contemplating the actual fact he has been taking part in in an unfamiliar place.

As such, whereas Leeds do have Junior Firpo obtainable for the journey to Leicester, it’s however clear to see that the absence of the 23-year-old will come as an enormous “blow” – within the phrases of Graham Smyth – to the Whites’ possibilities of bringing all three factors again to Elland Highway on Thursday evening, as Struijk has been an integral a part of Marsch’s backline this season.